CELLCERT : JNT05 Moonlight Theatre @ the RBC Center --Raleigh, NC

[Pamela]

Greetings from Planet Fangirl!  Oh my goodness.  He was amazing and wonderful tonight.  Raleigh celebrated Clay home in fine style!

I loved the concert, and I loved that there was a big crowd (8500?) showing the love (too much at several points...shut up silly screaming girls), I love the banner of lights that circled the arena "Merry Christmas With Love Clay - From Your Fans" I love that Big G got a rousing ovation and I love that the show seemed more poignant tonight, for some reason. Maybe because I saw it with my Mom.  She loved it too, by the way!  I think she watched the whole show through her binoculars though....hmm.    

He is incredible.

I admit he made me nervous.  In the first segment, he was somewhat restrained.  I hoped he was just saving his voice, and he was; because in the second segment he reached down deep and he delivered.   

He just kills me. That voice.

Clay sang bluegrass y'all!  Two worlds collide....I love me some bluegrass!

I have to tell you that my heart started racing when I saw that fiddle and mandolin take the stage.  Could it be?
I was just telling someone a week ago that Clay could sing the shiznit out of some old time mountain gospel bluegrass!

It was sweet.  Sweetest thing I've heard in a long time.  I hope his Papa liked it too.

He sang it for his grandfather, who had just before been taken out of the audience momentarily (mens' room?) and Clay wondered if he was coming back by the time they started singing.  Warning:  Once you start, you may not be able to stop listening.  It will get inside your head and stay there a while.  Which is not entirely a bad thing! 

Left click for Beautiful Star of Bethlehem. 

Beautiful Star of Bethlehem

It was really nice to see Heather, Mackenzie, Moonshot, Sunny, Diane, NCBarbara from Wilson, Kris, and to meet Christa for the first time!  I also got to meet Carolyn and Alice and Teresa and Moonshot's friend Gel.... I know there are more; please forgive me as I have just been Clayed.

Hee!

His voice sounded so beautifully imperfect yet always just right.  I think he was happy. He sounded happy.  Home does that to a person. 

Welcome home Clay.

[Her]

He sounded happy.  Home does that to a person. 

Welcome home Clay.

Miss P., that pretty much says it all    as I sit here taxing my computer trying to get the Raleigh Clack before all d/ling sites crash!   

I definitely want to be in Raleigh next tour...gotta work that into my schedule somehow...just need to know when, Clay?  Are you listening? 

[HavinaClayAffair]

Morning!!

I didn't get to join along with the cellcert last night...but just a ssoon as hubby left for work............I ran to the computer!

Thank you Raleigh for showing him the love for this tour.  He did deserve it. I want to make Raleigh my hometown.

Pamela- Thank you so much for your words. I downloaded immediately the BlueGrass song. This CRACKED ME UP! Polka is just around the corner folks.


My boss is not that fond of Clay and in his words..."When CLay can sing me some good down home BlueGrass music..I MIGHT give him a listen"...Oh Dr. Stowe.....?? MERRY CHRISTMAS!! I can't wait to go back to work NOW after Christmas!!

As soon as I read Clay did that- I was immediately misty eyed and choked up. He shared a very sweet Christmas sentiment with all of you who in turn have shared with us. How great is that?? How great is that man??

As I listened..I envisioned Clay as a child, singing to his Papa in that melodious but boomingly loud voice. I can seriously see it..sitting on a porch, singing his heart away. I don't know that it happened that way, ever, but it is a "feeling" I get. Of goodness from that man that makes me think that way.

To think I grew up on AC/DC and Def Lepard.....

So, thanks again for everyones contributions in making that night special for Clay and his band as well as for those of us at home!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Lora

[lorilovesgolf]

He sounded happy.  Home does that to a person. 

Welcome home Clay.

Miss P., that pretty much says it all    as I sit here taxing my computer trying to get the Raleigh Clack before all d/ling sites crash!   

I definitely want to be in Raleigh next tour...gotta work that into my schedule somehow...just need to know when, Clay?  Are you listening? 

Jayne - pick me on the way up North!  We'll carpool!!  How far of a drive is that???

[stargazer]

Pamela. thank you for the song it was fun. Clay is amazing.

Sounds like the concert in Raleigh was a great success. Now we know where to see him.

[mackncsu]

Hey everyone...just rolled out of bed. Heather, Kris, Christa and I didn't go to sleep until like 3 something so I am soooo wiped.

What can I say about these past couple of days? It was so so wonderful to get to see Clay but, it was even greater to see all of my Claymaniac friends again (or for the first time). Clay was great in Charlotte but absolutely fabulous in Raleigh. I held back tears the whole time (and I've never cried at Clay). It was just so heartfelt and wonderful. Clay was glad to be home and home was glad to have him! 

[Moonshot]

I had such a wonderful time at this concert. This concert meant so much to me for so many reasons.

1 - My best friend from Florida that I've known for 10 years was there with me. It was her first Clay concert.
2 - My co-worker and good friend was there with her mother, neither one had ever been to a Clay concert so I gave them tickets to this one. My co-worker was a Ruben fan while her mother was a Clay fan from day one. Her mother didn't have any of his CD's, had not seen Clay after he was on AI yet she remained a fan. Of course I gave her CD's with every song he ever sang, CD's with various video, his book, a program, etc. When I went back to check on them at intermission, my friend said she was now a Clay fan, this concert was all it took. She called me the next day to say she had not seen her mother that happy since before her father died several years ago. Her mother told her "this was a dream come true". They loved the concert, they loved the music, they loved the man.
3 - My non-Clay friend, new friend, meeting my Clay friends was great.
4 - Clay singing that bluegrass song for his grandfather because he knew that's what his grandfather liked...that's just love right there.
5 - The fans being respectful - for the most part - throughout the show. And the banner "Merry Christmas with Love, We Celebrate You Home Clay, from your fans"...that was awesome.
6 - It's Raleigh. It's Clay. It's Christmas music.


Everything about the evening - friends, music, Clay - was fabulous. I am truly blessed.

I also got my picture taken with this good-looking guy:

[heater]

It's been a wild few days for me, but those were two amazing concerts that I was fortunate to attend!   

Like Pamela, Mackenzie and Michelle have already said, the Raleigh concert was special in so many different ways.

~ Clay was filled with joy, you could see it all over his face the moment he took the stage.  I loved that! 

~ Clay singing to Papa Aiken was so emotional and so sweet.

~ The banner that was put up just prior to Clay's banter was awesome...a nice touch.

~ Seeing all of my Claymaniac friends and also getting to meet some new ones was wonderful as always!   

I loved the story, the acting was great, the dancing was a nice touch and of course Clay's singing was mesmerizing as usual.  Overall, I just loved it all and I'm thankful I get to see it two more times.

Like Michelle, Mackenzie and I were lucky enough to meet and have our picture taken with the other HOT guy on tour!

Check it out!

[Pamela]

Wow, those are great pictures with William Joseph -  Moonshot, Gelmarie, Heather and Mackenzie.... what did you all do to put such a big smile on his face?

Hmmm?

I understand if you'd rather keep it under wraps. 

 

[heater]

Wow, those are great pictures with William Joseph -  Moonshot, Gelmarie, Heather and Mackenzie.... what did you all do to put such a big smile on his face?

Hmmm?

I understand if you'd rather keep it under wraps. 

 

Very funny Pamnadia!   

You know that we are the innocent ones of the group!   

[fantasy]

I know this review is a little late (and long) but I wanted to tell about my trip. Kris and I arrived in Columbia on Tuesday and went to the concerts by ourselves. On our walk to the Township Auditorium we tried to beat every green man walk sign and did it. We waited outside for an hour before getting in and purchasing an ornament. Then it was time. I knew nothing going into this tour and I'm glad that I didn't. It made the experience so much more enjoyable. Gregory was not there, but the boy who played Tommy was great, even considering that he came in that day at 1:00. And I must say that the growl during Celebrate Me Home surprised me and made me so happy. We walked back afterward and "declayed."

The next morning it was time to drive to Charlotte. When we arrived, I really liked the city. Then we met up with all our Clay friends. I had only met Heather before, but everyone was so great and friendly. I love putting faces with names. The concert was even better the second time because I knew the parts I really liked. He was really on, probably because Gregory was back. After the concert, a woman that we had met in Columbia (who came from Germany) noticed that Jaymes Foster was in the back. Kris walked up to her and she was so gracious to talk to us. She seemed to be geniunely interested in what we thought as his fans. She was very nice.

Then we followed Heather to her house and then drove up to Raleigh. The pre-dinner at Damon's was great and I got to finally meet Pamela. Pamela, you are so nice and welcoming. Once we were at the concert, we saw Faye, Brett and Nick. And you could tell that Clay was very happy to be home. The first half he was holding back, but his version of First Noel was awesome. And the bluegrass song, I have always loved that song. It was very special. I am so glad to see him in Raleigh.

We crashed at Mack's and got up at 5:00 am to fly home. At the airport Kris spotted Angela and began talking to her. Angela gave Kris a hug and walked over to introduce herself to me and I shook her hand. She was very generous to talk to us that early in the morning. Kris also spotted Andy, Patricia and her brother at the airport. And they ended up getting on our flight to Dallas. When we landed, we saw them again and I smiled at Angela who seemed to recognize me. It was really cool.

All in all it was a wonderful trip. Met some great friends, experienced new places and saw Clay in all his joyfulness. I can't wait to do it again.